Bible ABCs - Zeals

Do you have to be cajoled to read God's Word and to go to church?  A couple of days ago, a friend posted a link which outlined several good reasons of why a person should go to church.  My immediate reaction upon just reading that title was, "Why?!"  Why does a person need to be apprised of these reasons for attending?  Shouldn't it come naturally from a heart overflowing with gratitude for the Lord Jesus especially after all He's done for us?!

Don't people have that commitment and energy, that zeal, in their souls that propels them to read God's Word and to not be able to stay away from the place where God's people meet together to praise, worship and adore Him?

A worship leader was commenting that even when he chose songs/hymns from among the "lovely old pieces" of traditional 1700's and 1800's hymns, the congregation, made up mostly of those who were more used to those types of hymns, barely even sang them.  The spiritual lethargy is very saddening to witness.

Where's the zeal?  It makes one grieve for the state of things in some places.  Can we recapture the zeal of the Psalmist as seen in Psalm 69:9 (ESV)?

"For zeal for your house has consumed me..."

As we read God's Word, let it seep into our souls and spirits and do it's good work.  It's like water to a plant.  The water goes down to the roots which helps the plant survive, grow and be pro-active to produce.  Let God's Word awaken our hearts; revive the zeal for our Heavenly Father making us thirst for Him, to know Him.   Let the Word galvanize us, igniting a consuming flame of zeal in our hearts, souls and minds with love, gratitude, service and worship; so much so, that we can't keep it to ourselves and therefore, yearn to be with God's people to share and give Him praise, with exuberant expression.

May we each come into His house with thanksgiving and praise so that we,

 "...make a joyful noise to the LORD of all the earth" (Psalm 100)!

Father, God, Your Words are "pure...like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6 ESV).   Thank-you for giving them to us so there will not be silence from heaven but we can dip and dig into them as often as we like.  Any silence would be our own fault.  Lord your desire is always towards us and we thank and praise You for that.  Thank-you for Your Holy Spirit Who helps our human frailty.  Father, we want more of You.  We yearn for You.  I'm going to borrow a few words from a song that the singer Don Moen sings, may we each have that zeal all our days and praise You "with all that is in our hearts because your Word is true"  May that zeal for You and Your Word consume us and let us "shout to the Lord with a loud voice," together with other brothers and sisters in Christ who have mutual longing to be in attendance at church because of You, oh Father.  After-all, we will meet YOU there too!  In Jesus Name we ask,

Amen.

                                                     ~ERC  November 2019~

I Will Sing, Don Moen

Here We Are, also by Don Moen